A Lovely Present
by inuyasha112
Summary: It's Christmas Eve! Months after the events of Gundam Seed, Cagalli, Lacus, Murrue, and Athrun are spending time at a mountain cottage, but Kira is nowhere to be found. Cagalli dwells on not only thoughts of Kira, but also the truth that has been reveled. ONESHOT KxC. Merry Christmas!


**A/N**

**Hey guys! Yeah, it's a tad bit late to upload a Christmas themed Fiction, but whatever; I do what I please :) **

**So this takes place on Christmas Eve, after the events of Gundam Seed. So enjoy!**

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"He's Late." Muttered Cagalli in an angry tone. Murrue approached Cagalli from behind and placed her hand on the blonde teen's shoulder for reassurance.

"Don't be like that Cagalli, I'm sure Kira is trying his best to get here."

It was Christmas Eve, a time when family and friends would get together to share gifts, and expressed their care for one another. The war was over, and Cagalli, Kira, Athrun, Lacus, and Murrue all wanted to live a normal life again.

Cagalli arranged for a stay in a two-story cottage on the high mountains of Orb for the group of pilots and the Archangel Captain. Everyone was enjoying the festive Christmas time, except for Cagalli.

"He promised he would be here! And look, that idiot still isn't here!" Ranted Cagalli

"Well, maybe he got stuck in the snow on the drive up the mountain?" said Athrun putting the Christmas Star on top of the tree.

Turning to face him, Cagalli shouted "Then he would have called!"

For the next two hours, the three tried to keep Cagalli calm and recommended that she should just be patient. However; Cagalli was still irate.

After months of war, the only thing Cagalli wanted for her friends, was some time to relax and sort some things out, especially when it came to Kira. After all the tears and toil, she wanted to spend time with him. In fact, she originally wanted to just be alone with Kira here, but when Lacus overheard the two talking about the trip she tagged along and brought everyone else.

"_Stupid Pink-Haired-Princess…"_ went through Cagalli's mind

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As time went on, the three cooked dinner, and were eating the wonderful delicious meal. Except for Cagalli. Murrue took a bite of ham and then noticed that Cagalli hadn't touched her food. In fear that Cagalli didn't approve of her culinary skills, she questioned her.

"Is there something wrong? Is it over-cooked?"

"No, Ms. Murrue it's great, really! I'm just not hungry right now…" replied Cagalli in a sad her, it seemed the whole trip had gone to waste.

The rest witnessed Cagalli's mood change from anger to sadness. For the rest of the night Athrun tried to comfort Cagalli, but it seemed the only person Cagalli wanted to see, and talk to was Kira.

"_Is he still freaked out about the sibling thing?"_ The thought passed her mind very often. She knew that things have turned awkward between the two. Once romantic and passionate feelings, now are (or at least supposed to be...) , platonic and chaste emotions.

As for Kira, she never asked what he felt. But what she did know was that Kira had _**something**_. He must have.

"_What else could be making my heart bleed than seeing Kira with Lacus?Why is he even with that Pop-Star?!"_

She didn't get it.

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After the lights were turned off, and everyone went to bed, waiting for the happy, Christmas morning, Cagalli was lying awake in her bed. Maybe it was the cold, maybe it was something else, but whatever it was, it caused her to leave her room and to walk down stairs.

"_Damn! Why does it have to be so dark in this house!" _she pondered

After reaching the bottom of the staircase, she took a blanket and a glass of water, and walked towards the couch. Once there, she put a log in the fireplace and ignited it, causing immediate warmth to the room.

She sat down on the couch and laid the blanket over her. And there she waited, for Kira Yamato.

The minutes, then the hours went by. The room wasn't getting any more interesting, and her eyes weren't getting any more pleased with that fact that she was staying up so late. Her eyes were slowly starting to close, giving into the warm temptation of slumber. Then Cagalli heard footsteps from the stairs.

At first she thought it was a robber or thief, but when the figure entered the living-room, she found that it was the kind Captain of the Archangel, Murrue Ramius, a welcomed sight, for a lonely soul such as Cagalli right now.

"My, my, you're still awake? You know that lack of sleep can make a girl less attractive to men?" Murrue said playfully as she approached the couch and sat down.

After a few moments of silence, Murrue decided to engage in some casual conversation.

"You're waiting for Kira, aren't you?"

"Yep, gotta' problem with that?" replied Cagalli in a spiteful voice.

Murrue giggled and moved closer towards the teen.

"Not at all Cagalli, not at all, but tell me why you are so worried about him. Kira is almost a grown man, I'm sure he can take care of himself."

Cagalli had asked herself the same question over and over. Why was she so worried about Kira?

"Because I _care_ about him…" Cagalli said softly

The answer didn't really fulfill Murrue's question entirely. So she put her hand to her chin and tried to re-arrange the question better. After a minute she finally put together a better question.

"What I mean is Cagalli, why do you worry so much about _**him**_ specifically?"

"Because…..I…I know what you're asking, I just can't _**say**_ it…" muttered Cagalli after covering her face with her hands in anguish.

Murrue was slightly confused. Did Cagalli not trust her enough to talk about boys even though both she and Cagalli went through an entire war together? Or maybe it was something else…

She moved closer to Cagalli and placed her arm around her for comfort .Cagalli accepted the gesture and leaned in closer.

"What going on between you two? I thought you and Kira had something going, but now it seems like you two are so distant or even shy to talk to each other." Said Murrue, worried about her friend.

From Cagalli's point of view, Murrue was like a big sister, or even a mother for the entire crew of the Archangel. She was kind, resilient, compassionate, and even fierce when it was called for. So it was only natural for her to be worried about the two.

"We did…or I think we would have…" replied Cagalli. Each word that came out brought more and more bitter feelings about the sibling's dilemma, and she was also having a tough time just talking about the sensitive subject to her friend.

There was a no talk between the two for a couple of seconds, both were gathering their thoughts. The log in the fire-place shifted and little ashes rose into the chimney.

"Tell me what happened." Questioned Murrue

"I fell in love with him while we were traveling across the ocean to Orb. I thought at first it was a just a simple crush, but the longer I was around him, the more I talked to him, and even just being in his presence…I couldn't resist his kindness." Cagalli took a breath and wiped a small tear that began to form.

"We were so close, I could feel it. The more we saw each other, the closer we would get. I was practically ready to confess to him before…we found out…" her voice turned somber and dismal.

"What happened? Did you never get a chance to confess to him?" asked Murrue. She was getting very interested in what happened before the end of the war, between the legendary pilot, and the princess of Orb.

The next few words were even more painful than the last.

"I never had the chance. You see… we found out…that we are siblings, brother and sister…"Cagalli was trying with all her might to contain the tears, but she couldn't help herself.

Murrue on the other-hand was shock. All this time, she thought that Kira and Cagalli were just having some sort of teenage romantic squabble. But now she was surprise to find out, that the couple never had a chance to be together from the start.

She could relate though. Murrue also had her own love taken away from her forever. His name was Mu La Flaga, and before she was able to truly confess to him, he was removed from the world. However; she was baffled by Cagalli's situation. Never seeing your lover forever is one thing, but watching a man you love with all your heart and never being able to truly love him was another.

She put both of her arms around Cagalli and held her tightly "I'm sorry Cagalli, I'm so sorry. No one should ever go through what you had to."

It took a while for Cagalli to regain her composure. She was also getting angry at herself, not just about crying and letting her emotions pour out, but also being sad on Christmas Eve, a time when no one should be unhappy.

"We both knew we had to talk about it…" continued Cagalli.

"After the last battle, we asked each other if we had _something. _But in the end he said that we should just try not to think about it, and try to just act like siblings. "

"I'm sure Kira also felt just as you did Cagalli" said Murrue

"Then why did he tell me to forget about everything, and to just move on?" exclaimed Cagalli

"I can't speak for Kira, but I'm sure he has a reason. But more importantly is what you feel for him now. Do you still love him?"Murrue asked

Everyday Cagalli wish that she could be with Kira, the answer was simple.

"Yes, and I would do anything for to be together!" exclaimed Cagalli

Murrue was satisfied with that answer. She pulled off the blanket and stood up from the soft furniture.

"I don't know a lot about life Cagalli, but I do know that it can be harsh and cruel. The only thing that matters is how you receive and respond to life. "

She walked to Cagalli and knelt down, "I can see it in your eyes, you truly love him, and if you ever need to talk about this again, come to me anytime."

Murrue gave a gentle, reassuring smile. Cagalli did feel better now that she was able to discuss it completely with one of her beloved friends. The tears had dried up, the redness in her face was gone, and she regained control of her emotions.

"Thank you, Murrue. I needed to talk about it with someone, and I'm glad it was you."

"Anytime, Cagalli. As for me though, it is almost one-o'clock and I am getting really sleepy. So I think I will go back to bed. Wanna' join?" said Murrue.

Cagalli dwelled on the idea for a moment, but then decided to push on back towards her original goal of waiting for that 'idiot Kira'.

"No thanks, I'm still gonna' wait for that fool." she said.

Murrue stepped towards the stairs and started to ascend, but before leaving she made one last remark.

"Oh, and don't worry about that little secret you two have. It's safe with me"

Cagalli smiled and waved goodnight as she saw the woman leave the room. Now she was back to where she started, all alone in the living-room, with a fire and a Christmas tree, still waiting to see Kira.

"_Where the heck are you!?" _

To be frank, Cagalli was even more impatient to see him. Talking to Murrue only intensified her desire to see him. This was going to be a very long night.

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She literally tried everything. Coffee, soda, slapping herself, all could not help Cagalli stay awake. She looked at the clock, it showed _2:30 AM_. Every second was a struggle to keep her eyes open; it was a long time since she had to pull and all-nighter.

"_Dammit…I…have to….stay awake…to tell him…"_

Her body gave in to sleep. There she laid on the couch, with her blanket, with a toasty fire keeping her nice and warm.

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"I bet they're all asleep by now! Cagalli is going to explode when she finds out how late I am." Kira whispered to himself as he took his bag of presents out of his car. The snow here was still thick and difficult to walk through.

After looking around the patio, Kira found a key under the doormat and unlocked the door. When it opened a blast of warm air hit his cold face. The sound of the door opening was just loud enough to wake the princess.

"Kira!" exclaimed Cagalli as she shot up from the couch, running towards him in excitement.

Unfortunately, the last thing Kira would expect after opening a door, was a young woman quickly grasping her hands around his neck. The sudden collision caused both to fall to the ground.

"_Ouch! What happened? I thought she hated me…"_ Kira asked himself as he rubbed the back of his head, recovering from the almost football-tackle.

He looked up to find Cagalli crying on top of him. He couldn't tell if it was from happiness or despair. Whatever it was, it was caused by he being there.

"_I was came her to make sure that she would never cry again, and look what happened…"_ He thought

"Where were you?! I was worried sick about what might have happened to you! You could have been hurt, or lost!" she said while pounding his chest.

"I was out buying and getting presents for you all, and while I was driving up the mountain I did get lost. Then my car got stuck in the snow, but lucky I was able to push it out, but I'm here now Cagalli, you don't need to cry. I'm sorry I worried you."

After giving his explanation, he took her hand and lifted her of the floor, guiding her to the couch where she had been for the entire night. But she wouldn't stop crying, there was something else wrong.

He sat down and held her asking "There's something else that is bothering you."

"I…wanted…" she was now fumbling over her own words, trying to muster enough strength to tell the truth. She wiped away her last tear and once again took back control of her composure.

"It's about us Kira. I can't continue to live my life pushing away these feelings."

She embraced him and finally freed herself from her heavy burden.

"I love you Kira, and I can never stop loving you no matter what."

Kira's eye widend at the confession that she made. She finally said it. He also found it hard to push down these feelings too. No matter how many distractions he would give himself, his thoughts would always come back to Cagalli. This was a perfect time than ever, to tell his own truth.

"I love you too, Cagalli. I'm sorry I ever told you to hide away those feelings, it was wrong for me to do so. I can't even go throughout the day without constantly thinking about you. I just love you too much..."

Cagalli's face turned to a bright red at his confession. After all this time, they did it. They officially were in love, and that was the only thing Cagalli ever, truly wanted. The two pulled away and looked at each other. Kira leaned in, getting closer and closer to Cagalli's lips. She closed her eyes received his kiss.

In a single second, Cagalli became happy. She found the person that she wanted to be with for the rest of her life. She found the person that she would always love, always depend on, and would grow old with, hopefully spending an innumerable amount of Christmas holidays with.

The kiss was simple and sweet, but also passionate. As if they were liberated from chains and set free. They drew apart and Kira smiled.

"I also got you something special for Christmas. If you want, you can open it now?" He said, taking a small box covered in wrapping paper out of a bag and in to her hand.

Cagalli observed the present, checking each side for some hint to what it was. After finding no clues she looked up.

"I swear, this better not be perfume, or I may have to reconsider this relationship." She playfully warned.

"I know you better than that, Cagalli."

She slowly tore off the paper to revel a black box, not much bigger that her hand. After untieing the ribbon, she opened it. Her mouth dropped and her eyes were completely opened.

"Kira! This is…beautiful! How did you even afford this?" she said.

Inside the box was a silver necklace with two gems. On one side was Amethyst, and on the other was Ruby. For most men, it would have completely drained their pockets, but Kira had collected enough money from his pre-war pay, and his military pay to purchase the jewelry.

"I'm not gonna' lie, it was hard to find. Which is kinda why I was so late getting here. It was certainly worth it though, to see that look on your face." He said, while she blushed at the comment.

He gestured for her to turn around so he could put it on her. After connecting the two ends, she turned around to find Kira's eyes in total awe and amazement.

"You're too stunning, Cagalli. Keep it up and maybe even your brother will fall in love with you." he joked. She gave him a quick punch to the arm, but then kissed him.

"Let's just try to keep that to ourselves, okay?" she asked

"Of course, by the way Cagalli, Merry Christmas." he responded.

"Merry Christmas, Kira."

The two laid there for a while, just holding each other in their arms, enjoying every moment of their new-found love and happiness. They soon fell asleep. The next day was a strange one, but Murrue noticed that Cagalli was smiling more often, and was finally happy. Some would even call it a Christmas Miracle, but for Kira and Cagalli, it was simple.

They were in love.

The End.

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**A/N**

**Hey guys! I truly hope that you enjoyed this story. I was getting angry at myself for not creating a Christmas themed Fic, but then I managed to find time to write a simple one-shot. Took about three days to make. Overall, not my best, but I enjoyed writing it, so bleh!**

**Don't worry, I'm still working on the other stories too!**

**Thanks! Don't forget to review!**


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